Yuta Unlocks A Skill: Ethereal Resonance Conductor

The room became silent as Erina stepped out, and the door clicked softly behind her.

The steam continued to swirl lazily in the dim light.

Ryuen gestured for Yuta to come closer, which he did obediently.

Ryuen could tell something was serious, because he knew Yuta to be timid.

But now, what he saw was confusion, worry, and anxiety in his eyes.

"So... what's the matter?" Ryuen asked, leaning forward on the side of the tub, while Yuta sat on the ground before him.

"You know, if you don't speak, I won't know how to find a solution," he added with a small smile on his lips, one that Yuta mirrored.

"I keep hearing voices in my head," Yuta began, clenching his fists nervously.

"It usually comes with a bell."

Ryuen straightened, his brows curving in a deep frown, and his expression turned grim.

"Does it sound like a lady's voice with a robotic tone?"

Yuta nodded. "It came louder this time, and I accidentally broke something."

"Oh," Ryuen mumbled.

He obviously knew what it was, and there was no doubting that.

But what he feared was whether Yuta was cursed or blessed, and how that could be possible since the Arbiter was either dead or missing.

"Did it say anything about a certain Arbiter?" Ryuen asked, his voice low.

"Yes, it did," Yuta answered quickly.

"Something about me being the last of my kind to be blessed..." He trailed off. "

"....It told me to steer clear of the curse carriers, that they are dangerous."

The color drained from Ryuen's face, and his breathing hitched, though it was barely visible on his face.

'Steer clear, huh? I don't even know what my curse is, aside from the stupid skill,' he thought to himself before taking a deep breath and exhaling.

"Anything else?" Ryuen asked, trying to keep his composure.

Yuta nodded frantically, rising to his feet and taking a step back.

Ryuen gave him a questioning look, one brow raised.

Yuta hesitated for a moment before stretching out his hand.

Suddenly, a translucent holographic blue screen appeared.

The light from the screen cast a faint glow in the room, but it was the text displayed on it that caught Ryuen's attention.

"Just like mine," he mumbled as he scanned the information on the screen.

From Yuta's name down to his age, which made Ryuen's brow furrow.

"You're twenty-one?" Ryuen asked, tilting his head to get a better look at Yuta, who laughed nervously.

"Are you actually timid or it's a façade?"

"Well, I had issues speaking, but not anymore," Yuta answered, avoiding Ryuen's intense gaze.

"What the hell..." Ryuen trailed off, grabbing the towel he had dropped earlier.

He wrapped it around his waist as he stepped out of the water and took a step closer to Yuta.

Without warning, he grabbed Yuta's collar and dragged him closer, gazing deep into his blue eyes.

"Care to explain why you're hiding your age?" Ryuen's tone was sharp, his piercing hazel eyes locked onto Yuta's.

Yuta raised his hands in defeat.

"I'm the president's son, okay? After the accident that caused my speech impediment, he disowned me. What did you expect me to do?"

His voice softened, and he glanced away, his shoulders drooping.

"I didn't want anyone to know. And when they found out, they bullied me."

Ryuen's expression darkened, his frustration boiling over.

"You're an adult now. Can't you stand up for yourself?!" he spat, his hazel eyes blazing with anger.

Yuta flinched due to how Ryuen's voice sounded, he could tell he was angry, but he never expected Ryuen to raise his voice.

Infact he rarely did.

"You're overreacting! Jeez," Yuta snapped, roughly yanking Ryuen's hand off his shirt.

"What's wrong with being timid or socially anxious? Everyone has mental strains and illnesses too."

Ryuen crossed his arms, exhaling deeply as he tried to rein in his temper.

"I don't have a problem with it," he said, his voice calmer but still firm.

"But you need to step out of that box. I've seen how you interact with others—"

He paused, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Why can't you talk to the people who bully you like that?"

Yuta let out a long, weary sigh. "Because I prefer staying silent," he admitted quietly.

"Talking... social stuff... it just makes me feel weak."

Ryuen studied him for a moment before responding, his tone softer but resolute.

"Silence doesn't make you weak, Yuta. But letting them keep you down does."

"...You've got to find your strength somewhere, even if it's one step at a time."

Yuta sighed, his shoulders dropping as he accepted what Ryuen said. "I will do my best."

"Good. Now, I would like to see what else your skill can do."

Yuta took a deep breath. He raised his head to gaze at the screen, and as if it read his thoughts, the skill name popped up.

[Ethereal Resonance Conductor]

The description began to materialize before their eyes.

______

Type: Passive/Active Hybrid

Tier: Null

Effect: Allows the user to sense, amplify, and harmonize with the ethereal frequency of any living or non-living entity. Grants access to unknown energy conduits.

Side effects: Prolonged usage can destabilize the user's mental state and physical body.

Special Condition: Resonance can unlock sealed abilities and entities. Prolonged exposure may lead to "Synchronization Overload."

______

A small smile made its way up Ryuen's face, his gaze moving to the symbols that looked exactly like his.

"Do the others know about this?" he asked, and Yuta shook his head.

"Good. No one should know. You're the last to actually receive a skill, so congratulations."

"Thanks... Uhm ..Did you also get one?"

Ryuen nodded, "It's a little complicated, but I did."

"You were blessed too?"

"You could say that."

Yuta's face lit up.

"That's awesome, but I don't really know how to use whatever it is. I don't even understand how things here work."

"You should know how to throw a punch. I could help you along the way," Ryuen offered, earning a soft chuckle from Yuta.

However, as Yuta opened his mouth to speak, no words came out.

His expression turned sad as he realized it. He raised his gaze to the screen and sighed.

[Speech Grant on cooldown.]

[Ready in five hours.]

[History: A total of 153 words spoken.]

"Okay, that's new," Ryuen muttered as he read the description.

He then glanced at Yuta, who looked depressed.

He patted his head. "Might be a while before I get used to you being months younger than I am."

He paused and smiled warmly.

"But you should be glad you can speak. It's a privilege for someone with a speech impediment like yours to be able to suddenly speak."

Yuta raised his head and smiled slightly, wanting to express how upset he was.

He had thought he could already speak, but it was just the Arbiter's blessing.

"I understand how you feel. Just don't waste your skill. Everything has a time limit, so use it properly."

Yuta nodded, then he turned to leave when Ryuen said something else.

"Could please you wait outside the door till I'm done ? I don't want the princess to come back here again."

He said with a nervous smile, which Yuta mirrored, laughing silently at him.

Once Yuta had closed and locked the door behind him, Ryuen immersed himself back in the tub, groaning in pleasure.

However, Ryuen's body tensed suddenly when something soft and warm pressed against his back.

A very familiar feeling.

"Doors can't keep me out, Ryuen," she murmured, her voice laced with amusement.

Before he could react, she spun him around to face her.

"Erina," he breathed out, his words coming out forced and strained.

An awkward smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You're.....back."